


Her Epilogue

by Fighting_for_Creativity



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AI Peggy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Daniel needs a hug, Everyone Gets A Hug, F/M, Funeral, Gen, Not Beta Read, Sad and Happy, Tony Remembers, peggy needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26587576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting_for_Creativity/pseuds/Fighting_for_Creativity
Summary: On the day of Peggy Carter's funeral, Tony remembers snippets of his childhood with her and Daniel Sousa.
Relationships: Daniel Sousa & Tony Stark, Peggy Carter & Tony Stark, Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 13
Kudos: 52
Collections: Tony Stark Flash Bingo, Tony Stark Has A Heart (deal with it)





	Her Epilogue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EachPeachPearPlum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EachPeachPearPlum/gifts).



> This is for [Peach](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EachPeachPearPlum/pseuds/EachPeachPearPlum) because she keeps trying to make my words readable and she's a dear friend of mine. But this time it's unbetaed~
> 
> I asked you what pairing you'd liked, I hope this lives up to it.
> 
> Also, if you don't like it, it _is_ your fault that the next gift fic I publish isn't liked. Just like I told ya! XD

_'In retro perspective',_ Tony thought, _'Daniel Sousa was Peggy's epilogue'_

~+~

Tony had been three years old when he met Daniel Sousa. The man was introduced to him as Director Carter's former teammate. At first, it had been awkward and tense, getting to know another adult who most likely would just be as disappointed in him as his dad constantly seemed to be. Daniel and his dad carried themselves the same way, proud, confident.

So when the first real encounter differed from his expectation, Tony didn’t know what to do.

The adults were all crowded around the front door, his dad for once happily engaging in a conversation with aunt Peggy and Jarvis and Madre. They all seemed to be very engrossed with each other, not realizing that they still stood in the entry hall. Tony noticed though. Because that was what he had learned from his dad. Always pay attention to the room, never get caught unaware.

Yes, he was a small little child, at least Madre told him so, but he was smarter than others his age if his nanny was to be believed. So, surely, the expectations laid on him were higher, too. At least Tony thought so.

Maybe that was part of the reason why he startled when Mr. Sousa, who had excused himself from the talk to use the loo, squatted down and smiled at him, “Hey there young man.”

The older brunet’s face was open and he smiled softly, his blue eyes holding no ill intent as far as Tony could tell. He liked Mr. Sousa’s eyes. They reminded him of Jarvis’s and Jarvis was kind. _‘So maybe he’s nice too?’_

After all, normally adults tended to just speak down to him. Timidly he finally answered, “Hello Mr. Sousa.”

“Ah, none of that. Please call me Mr. Daniel. Peggy talks a lot about you, I feel like I already know you so it’s strange for me to hear my surname from you.”

“She does?” The boy couldn’t hide the excitement he felt at those words.

Instead of scolding him for it though, Mr. Daniel smiled a tiny bit brighter and nodded. “Yes, Anthony, she does. All those exciting ideas in your head and all those lovely hours you two spend together.”

After a short pause, Mr. Daniel leaned forward whispering like sharing a conspiracy, “Can I tell you a secret, Anthony?”

Eagerly Tony nodded, trying to whisper back, “I won’t tell anyone, scouts honor!” Because that was what you said in those situations, Tony had seen it on the television.

Mr. Daniel didn’t seem to mind the little lower than normal volume of Tony’s voice before leaning even closer and saying, “Every time we encounter something even remotely reminding her of you, which is very frequently, she gushes over you.”

Wide-eyed Tony stared. His aunty liked him, he knew. But liking him enough to constantly talk about him? Tony felt elated. 

Mr. Daniel and he talked some more, mainly Tony warming up to him and bombarding him with a thousand and one questions. When he got really excited about Mr. Daniel’s leg though, he also got too loud and the other adults heard them.

“You’re leg‘s mechanical? Awesome! Has daddy built it?”

“Anthony!” Howard interrupted, tone stern and disapproving.

Startled Tony looked away from the still smiling face of Mr. Daniel and towards his parents and Peggy and Jarvis, all of which looked strangely at him or in dad’s case angry. Yet before dad could launch into any kind of scolding, Mr. Daniel stood straight again, positioning himself slightly in front of Tony and said evenly, “It’s alright ladies and gens. I encouraged him. We talked about interests and my work, which lead to that particular question. I don’t mind, so neither should any of you.”

Somehow Mr. Daniel’s words made Peggy’s red lips curl upwards in a tender smile and Jarvis looked appeased. Madre had shaken her head softly, in the way she did when she found Tony doing something strange yet adorable and even dad seemed to be fine afterward.

~+~

Despite that being one of his earliest memories, it was also one of his fondest.

Fiddling with the stem of the flower he brought with him, Tony sat in his sports car, glasses tinted, and Friday narrating the service happening. He didn’t listen all too intently, just watched the endless stream of humans walking by, never once sparing a second glance. A constant tickle of life rushing by. Sighing deeply he lost himself into another memory.

~+~

It was big news, at least in the Stark household, and Tony guessed, in the Carter-Sousa household as well. The seven-year-old had prepared for another stay with aunty Peggy during Howard’s next business trip when Madre’s voice rang through the halls reaching the kitchen were Tony sat with Jarvis and sipping tea.

“Oh my! Oh My! Oh MY!”

Tony exchanged confused looks with Jarvis. Soon enough the door opened and a flushed Madre entered.

“Tonio! Darling! Get dressed. I just got a call from dear Peggy. She’s going to marry in an hour. Chop Chop!!”

“Ma’am, you’re sure?” Jarvis looked bewildered. Which wasn’t right. Jarvis was always composed, always calm. But just like Madre, Jarvis countenance was broken upon receiving the news.

“Very so, Jarvis! Come get ready. I go and call Howard while you two get into the car!”

With that, his Madre was gone and Tony raced towards his room. He knew what a wedding meant. He had been researching weddings ever since he saw the hasty movement from Mr. Daniel tugging away a silver band.

‘ _I so called this!’_

When they all arrived at the city hall, Howard for once not immaculate styled, Peggy smiled broadly at them all and then ushered them inside. Tony eyed her thoroughly. She was wearing a red and blue dress, a slight navy style to it, with a red rose tucking her fringe behind her ear. 

Her lipstick was a bit more muted, still red, and her eyes were elegantly accented with mascara and eyeliner. When Peggy’s eyes landed on him, he gave her a thumbs up and mothed, “beautiful.”

That seemed to relax his aunty and with a small huffed laugh she started to explain to the adults the further procedure. A few relatives of Peggy’s, like her sister, were there but none of Mr. Daniel and Tony thought that that wasn’t nice.

So as soon as he spotted Mr. Daniel, Tony went up to him, smiling encouragingly, and said, “I normally would threaten you to be nice to my aunty now. But seeing as there is no one to reprimand me for it, I’m gonna say this, you make her happy. Please continue to do so, Mr. Daniel.”

Mr. Daniel looked at him, mouth slightly agape before he chuckled and tousled Tony’s hair. “Sure thing, sports. She makes me plenty happy myself. So only a fool would risk that.”

The ceremony was a short affair and the after receiving was just as short. Tony didn’t mind because Howard was for once spending time with them, his Madre smiled warmly, Jarvis had been best men and even seemed to fight against some manly tears and Mr. Daniel became Uncle Daniel. And above all, Peggy was radiant.

~+~

Tony felt the ghost of a smile when his eyes landed on the old picture of Peggy’s and Daniel’s wedding. It was one of his favorites. 

His gaze wandered back to the street, the procession winding down slowly.

~+~

It wasn’t always easy, Aunty Peggy had told him that once. 

He was staying over the summer as Howard once more was on a search and Mother in Italy, visiting her cousins. Being the summer between high school and MIT, Tony had wanted to stay within the borders and thus visited his Aunty. She had been busy lately, preparing and training a successor, or so Jarvis had told him.

Something Tony had learned early, was that only the people closest to Peggy and Daniel had known of the wedding and thus he wasn’t allowed to call Daniel ‘Uncle’ anywhere but at Peggy’s. Tony really hated that but took it as an excuse to visit often.

Sometimes on those visits, Daniel wasn’t well. During a fit, he had screamed and thrown things and then went away, locking himself in a spare room. Peggy had watched with sad eyes and Tony wanted to accost Daniel and demand answers. But Peggy, his wonderful lovely aunty Peggy, held him back and started to explain.

“Sometimes he remembers the war. Remembers the losses, remembers how it had been to have two legs. Sometimes he is in so much pain, and sometimes he doubts his worth because he’s not allowed to stake his claim on me for the world to see, that he doesn’t know how to handle it anymore. He might be in charge of some young agents like Fury and Coulson, but here, at home, he can let go and then-” 

A loud crash made her stop for a moment, listening if another crash could be heard before continuing, “then he just let’s go. In those moments he’s honest with himself and with me. It isn’t always easy, Anthony, my dear. Sometimes, I am just as bad but he’s still here, still with me.”

Peggy didn’t need to say it for Tony to hear it. ‘ _Unlike Steve._ ’ 

~+~

As the crowd dispersed, Tony got out of his car, a soft drizzling rain giving him the excuse for an umbrella. Flower in one hand, umbrella in the other and head low, he started his very own procession.

~+~

The very same evening Tony had a first-row seat to witness what Peggy had explained. He had been to the restroom after dinner, then wanted to fetch a new project of his, to show it to his Aunty and Uncle, before running back to the living room. When he was a short distance away from the door he could hear sobbing. wide-eyed, the teenager starred through the crack of the door and watched in fascinated disbelief how Peggy sat on the floor, a vase scattered to her feet and tear streaks ruining her perfect makeup. 

The brunet knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop but he couldn’t help himself. His feet were rooted to the spot and his brain refused to cooperate beyond the urge to **_know_**.

Daniel’s cane clicked ominous, his mechanical leg slightly malfunction- _that’s new. When did that happen?_ Tony’s brain provided him with unnecessary questions.- as he stepped into view. By the looks of it, it took him a lot of effort and pain to kneel.

But when he knelt, eye to eye with aunt Peggy, he simply seemed to smile and gather her in his arms. That was when she broke down completely and Tony retreated. His aunty wouldn’t want him to witness that.

Later Daniel came to him, made sure that he was alright, made sure that Tony knew that Peggy was alright. All the while walking on his cane, all the while visibly in pain and yet caring for others more than himself.

Before Daniel said good night, Tony asked him, “Not every story has a happily ever after, doesn’t it?”

A soft melancholic smile along a ‘good night, sports.’ was his answer.

He fell asleep to the thought, ‘ _At least you two will have one.'_

~+~

When Tony laid down the flower, he heard the telltale click of the cane. Smiling despite the tears he could feel threatening to spill, Tony didn’t get up from his crotch but tucked the umbrella away.

“Has no one told you that’s rude to not stand for your elders, Tony.”

“Someone tried to, but I probably haven’t listened, Uncle Daniel.”

In answer, Daniels's hand landed on Tony’s shoulder and stayed there. Normally Tony hated to be touched these days unless he initiated the touch. But with Uncle Daniel, it was just like when he was a kid, different.

“She was a wonderful woman.”

“She was the best.”

Smirking, because Tony wasn’t great with feelings and couldn’t deal with this any other way, he joked, “I could name a few better.”

A soft swat at his head let him chuckle for real. “That might be true, Tony, but for me, she was the greatest of them all.”

Tony couldn’t disagree with that.

So, they talked for a bit. Catching up with the who’s and what's. Daniel told Tony about Coulson’s time, confidently but still, and Tony told him about all the trouble with the Accords. 

After what felt like minutes but according to Friday had been hours, they parted ways with promises of meeting soon again. Tony watched him leave, memorizing the clicking sound once again. A soft smile playing on his lips as he thought again ‘ _He was her epilogue. Her happy ending.’_

~+~

Years later somewhere not accessible to humans:

A muted blue light flickers into existence, welcomed by a pale red one. The Ai Planet Earth’s Great Gesture You, short P.E.G.G.Y, brushed her code against the man who her predecessor had loved so much and her godson turned eternal like her. “Hello darling, I missed you.”

D.A.N.I.E.L. smiled.

**Author's Note:**

>  **TSBFlash**  
>  Title: Her Epilogue  
> Collaborators: Fighting_for_Creativity  
> Card Number: 023  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26587576  
> Square: Epilogue  
> Ship: Peggy/Daniel  
> Rating: Teen and Above  
> Tags: Tony remembers, Daniel needs a Hug, Peggy needs a hug, everyone gets a hug, Angst with Happy Ending, AI Peggy  
> Warning: Canonical Character Death  
> Summary: On the day of Peggy Carter's funeral, Tony remembers snippets of his childhood with her and Daniel Sousa.  
> Word Count: 2196


End file.
